I inhale, elated at our progress. “You’re a pretty kitty, aren’t you?” I say, and then I turn my head just slightly to speak to Galinor. “Let me down.”
“Not likely,” he says in my ear.
I laugh and continue to call and click and mew. The feline stands, saunters to the nearest tree, and then rubs his side against it. He turns around, sits down, and then he meows back.
The horse is restless under me, shifting back and forth. I struggle away from Galinor, who seems to be tooshocked to hold me back. I move slowly, holding my hand out.
The cat calls again, stands, and rubs against the tree. He repeats this action several times as I move closer. Finally, my fingertips touch his fur.
“Oh,” I say at the pleasure of it.
The cat turns his giant head and nudges me in the chest, running his ears along my arm. He promptly bursts out in loud, contented purrs and falls on the ground next to me, where he rubs his body against the grass under him.
I continue to pet him, running my hand down his glossy body in long, slow strokes. I look back at the men. “I think he’s friendly.”
They stare at me, dumbfounded.
“It’s still following us,”Galinor says, his voice tight.
I turn back and look over his shoulder. The cat, which Galinor has informed me is a blood-thirsty, night-dwelling glasseln, is indeed still there. He meows at me and flicks his tail as he pads along behind us.
“Hello, kitty,” I call back, and then I turn to Galinor. “Yes,” I say. “He is.”
“Can’t you make it go away?”
I meet Galinor’s eyes. “I can’t think of how.”
“Perhaps you should stop talking to it?”
I laugh at the idea and Galinor groans. Danver quivers in my arms. He’s not excited about the new addition to our party.
“It can’t follow us much farther. If the guards see it near the palace, they will kill it.”
“Why?” I demand. “He’s not causing any trouble.”
Galinor growls at me, irritated. “It’s a monster.”
I turn around and glare at him again. “Coal isn’t a monster. He’s a cat.”
“You’ve named it,” Galinor says, his voice deadpan.
I take his chin in my hand, lowering it so he meets my eyes. “It will be fine.”
“You can’t keep it.” Galinor’s gaze softens, but only a little. “He’s not a fox or a skunk or whatever other creatures you’ve adopted.”
“You just said ‘he’ instead of ‘it’!” I grin at the progress, small as it is.
Galinor rolls his eyes. “Can I please watch the trail now? Unless you think you can charm the horse into finding his own way back?”
I release his chin and settle against his chest. Danver stretches and then leaps from the horse. He freezes when he sees Coal. The cat watches him with alert, green eyes.
“Coal, no.”
The glasseln’s gaze flicks to me, and when he looks back at Danver, he seems only curious. Danver, however, is terrified. Suddenly the fox lunges into the forest, disappearing from sight.
“Danver!” I yell.
It’s almost night. If he runs far, he will be lost. I try to jump off after him, but Galinor grabs my waist and holds me tight.
